You Know More Scales Than You Think!
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Most of the people here know their 12 major scales and the chromatic scale, right? I hope so. Here's a little breakdown to show you that you know far more scales than you possibly thought! Most of you have probably heard of "modes". These are scales too.
If you know your twelve major scales, you actually know over 80 scales (12 major scales multiplied by 7). If you also know your chromatic scale, then add one more scale to the over 80 scales you know!
I'm using the C major scale to explain how it works and also included the E Major Scale so you can see the similarity between the two Major Scales
With trumpet in hand, play the following;
Play the C Major scale from C to C = the Ionian Mode
Play the C Major scale from D to D = the Dorian Mode
Play the C Major scale from E to E = the Phrygian Mode
Play the C Major scale from F to F = the Lydian Mode
Play the C Major scale from G to G = the Mixolydian Mode
Play the C Major scale from A to A = the Aeolian Mode
Play the C Major scale from B to B = the Locrian Mode
Here's the same thing but in the key of E major to show that this process works for all twelve major keys. Notice the process is the same
Play the E Major scale from E to E = the Ionian Mode
Play the E Major scale from F# to F# = the Dorian Mode
Play the E Major scale from G# to G# = the Phrygian Mode
Play the E Major scale from A to A = the Lydian Mode
Play the E Major scale from B to B = the Mixolydian Mode
Play the E Major scale from C# to C# = the Aeolian Mode
Play the E Major scale from D# to D# = the Locrian ModeI always like telling students who know their twelve scales, "You actually know a lot more than twelve scales". Oh, and if someone tells you modes are not scales, tell them to pound sand and to Google it.
Hope you find this helpful. -
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Theoretically, and isolated, it's easy to play a mode thinking of it as certain-degree scale derived from it's "parent" Major Scale. But I've found that when Aeolian (etc) is the tonic, I have to think of the intervallic construction of that scale (the Aeolian) rather than mixing it and thinking it's a sixth degree of another major scale, considering, therefore, two scales simultaneously.
In other words, if I'm playing (new) Milestones, I'm not thinking of the A Section chord (Gmin7) as the II of F Maj rather as a Gmin (Dorian) in and of itself. And so forth to other modes and tunes. I have to learn the intervallic structure of a mode in and of itself.
The above is, to be sure, a great way of learning the modes to begin with but, for me, that's where it ends.
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@FranklinD said in You Know More Scales Than You Think!:
We have to add the harmonic minor scale as a more or less different one. And then we have the pentatonic and other blues scales. Also minor modes. Then the modern ones, the bebop and the altered scales.
Whew! I didn't describe this very well at all (I'll work on that).
Thrust of the post was to show the people that know their 12 major scales how much more they really know if they know little or nothing about the Modes.
Without a doubt, the scales you mentioned are also good to know. -
Hi Kehaulani,
The thrust was to show people that know their twelve major scales how many more scales they know if they are not familiar with modes. Sorry I wasn't clear about that, my bad. -
I knew what you meant initially. Franklin's just ornery.
. . . someone will be posting about the Lydian Chromatic scale. For those who wish to know about the Lydian Chromatic Scale, Dave Baker's book 1 The Lydian Chromatic Concept Techniques of Improvisation from Alfred Publishing 1983, is a good read.
I still have mine. Copyright 1959.
You might be clearer though, if from the beginning, you just use the word scale in this explanation for only Major Scales and the word Mode for all the others.
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@Kehaulani said in You Know More Scales Than You Think!:
. . someone will be posting about the Lydian Chromatic scale. For those who wish to know about the Lydian Chromatic Scale, Dave Baker's book 1 The Lydian Chromatic Concept Techniques of Improvisation from Alfred Publishing 1983, is a good read.
Hi Kehaulani,
I edited that part out of my post. I figured if I didn't explain my initial post very well, adding the Lydian Chromatic would just mess things up totally. -
@Dr-Mark said in You Know More Scales Than You Think!:
@Kehaulani said in You Know More Scales Than You Think!:
. . someone will be posting about the Lydian Chromatic scale. For those who wish to know about the Lydian Chromatic Scale, Dave Baker's book 1 The Lydian Chromatic Concept Techniques of Improvisation from Alfred Publishing 1983, is a good read.
Hi Kehaulani,
I edited that part out of my post. I figured if I didn't explain my initial post very well, adding the Lydian Chromatic would just mess things up totally.The Lydian Chromatic Concept is a rough haul, especially when you take it one more step and deal with other applications he doesn't necessarily spell out but which are implied.
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Aside from all the comments, I thought it was a fun post. Thanks, Dr.Mark.
And I did learn a few things, too... -
@GeorgeB said in You Know More Scales Than You Think!:
Aside from all the comments, I thought it was a fun post. Thanks, Dr.Mark.
And I did learn a few things, too...Super!
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Then there are the pentacostal scales.... or is that pentationic... doesn't matter, as I can play them in any tongue!
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@Dr-GO said in You Know More Scales Than You Think!:
Then there are the pentacostal scales.... or is that pentationic... doesn't matter, as I can play them in any tongue!
That's the Paleontological Scale. It's played on the jawbone of as ass.
